Expanding and contracting hair curler



Sept 23,1958 l s..BRANc Acclo 2,853,081

EXPNDING AND CONTRACTING HAIR CURLER Filed April 1e, 195e 2 sweets-sheet 1 1 N VENTOR ATTORNEY Sept 23 19548 v s. BRANcAcclo 2,853,081L

EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING HAIR CURLER Filed April 16. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Salvare ran/ca/cqio ATTORNEYS United States atent y" EXPANDING AND CNTRACTING HAlR CURLER Silvere Brancaccio, Washington, D. C.

Application April 16, 1956, Serial No. 578,239

13 Claims. (Cl. 132-42) My invention relates to hair curlers of the expanding and contracting type and is an improvement over the type having two substantially semi-cylindrical sections with cam means for expanding and contracting the same and cooperating hair securing means. This application is an improvement over my -copending application Serial No. 502,674, filed April 20, 1955, for an expanding and contracting hair curler.

An object of my invention is to provide a hair curling rod that is economical to manufacture and easy to use and permits relaxation of the tension wound in a tress of hair after it is wound on a rod.

A further object of my invention is to provide a hair curling rod having two generally semi-cylindrical shaped sections with an axial recess extending therethrough which receives an actuating shaft that projects out from one end of the rod and has cams thereon cooperating with cam actuating surfaces in the sections and wherein the rod has a cord secured at one end and adapted at the other end to be secured to the other end oi' the rod to hold a tress of hair wound on the rod and the rod can be contracted to relieve the tension wound into a tressrof hair Wound thereon. Y

An object of my invention is to provide in an expanding and contracting hair curler two elongated and generally semi-cylindrical sections with recess and lip-securing means at one end and cooperating holding means at the other end permitting slight transverse expanding and contracting movement between the sections when a shaft extending within the hair curler and between the sections is actuated and is adapted to have freely received over the end thereof an end fixture attached to a cord extending to the other end of the hair-curling rod.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a hair-curling rod having a pair of cooperating expansible and contractable sections and an actuator shaft extending therebetween with cams thereon cooperating with the sections, a securing cord for a tress of hair having an end iixture adapted to be freely slipped over the shaft and secured to a boss o-n the adjacent end of the hair curling rod while the sections are held together at their other end by cooperating overlapping lug elements having a snap t of one section with respect to the other section.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in a hair curling rod of the expansible and contractable type, an actuator which extends axially from one end ofthe ro-d and is adapted to receive thereover a ring-like fixture on the end of a cord extending to the other end of the rod for securing a tress of hair wound thereon such that the fixture on the end of the cord may be secured without intertering with the operation of the shaft.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specic examples are given Iby way of illustration only, and while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, 'are "ice not given by way of limitation, since various changes and modications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of my invention, reference may be had to the following drawings in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the hair curling rod;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of my hair curling rod as viewed in Fig. l with a tress securing cord shown expanded;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the hair curling rod expanded by the pull-out of the actuating shaft and the securement of the tress securing cord in its holding position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view along line 4--4 of Fig. 1 showing the two sections making up the eX- pansible and contractable rod in contracted position;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the hair curling rod along line 5-5 in Fig. 41;

Fig. V6 is a vertical cross sectional View along line 6-6 of Fig. 4 showing the securement of a tongue on one section within a recess on the other section;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view along line 7-7 of Fig. 4 showing the cooperating cam surfaces within the two sections;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view along line 8-8 of Fig. 4 showing the relationship of a cam on the actuating shaft and another cam surface on each of the cooperating sections;

Fig. 9 is atop plan view of a modified form of securing one end of the sections;

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view along line 10--10 of Fig. 9 including a showing in broken line of one of the sections removed;

Fig. l1 is an end view along section line 11-11 of Fig. 9 of the hair curler;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view along line 12--12 of Fig. 9 showing the cooperating lugs on the respective sections which are snap-fitted past each other in assembling the two sections forming the hair curler rod;

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional end View showing a tress of hairwound and secured on the rod. when in expanded condition; and

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 partially illustrating the contraction of the two sections within the surrounding tress of hair and to some extent how the tress of hair has the inner ends thereof released.

Throughout the description like reference numerals refer to similar parts.

Reference to Figs. 1-8 shows a hair curling rod 10 having a generally cylindrical elongated shape and comprised of a lirst generally cylindrical section 11 and a second section 12. Disposed between the two expansible and contractable sections 11 and 12 is an expanding shaft 13 with cams thereon to be described later.

. To complete the hair curling rod there is affixed to one end and attachable and detachable to the other end a tress of hair securing cord generally indicated at 14 and having a ring-like element 15 at the attachable and detachable end for securement on a boss 12 extending axially from the end ot the hair curling rod .10.

The sections 11 and 12 as viewed from the side in Figs. 2-4 are of concave shape from end to end and have a decreasing cross section from end to end with the smallest cross section at the midflongitudinal portion of the hair curling rod, although the hair curling rod may be termed as generally semicylindrica1.

It will be noted that section 12 has lugs 16 and 17 extending transversely tothe longitudnal axis throughthe hair curling rod to one side of the longitudinal planar Yface`18 Valong the diamete'r'of the semi-cylindrical section 12. vvLug"1'6 at oneen'd' of section'12`hasformed therein a semi-cylindrical recess 16' which extends axially therethrough from the boss portion-12V thereof at the outer end to'a'n inner`fac'e ofthelugl indicated at's16". This r'ecess '16 receives therein a' tongue `I1 of seriiicircul'ar cross sectional shape as' shown in` Fi'gl`6` and is Yof a'smaller size so as to permit slight transverse mo'ver'nent'whenthe twosections are expanded as shown 'in`Fig.`3. The' boss 12'ivhas a longitudinally extending 'recess 12 therein which receives the shaft 13.

. In thefrst section `11there is formed a like semi-cir- 'cularcross section longitudinal recess along its longitudinal axis and similarsmall and large carrr'surfaces and .-20 to match up with the other cam surfaces 19 an'dZtl' and .actuated by Vthe cam 21` on the `shaft` 13.

Inthisformof hair ,crlerfthe two sections '11' and v12 are held together at the lug end17,termed the other end of thesections, by the end ofthe elastic cord 14 as indicated at'14 which lisreceived within 'analign'ed slot generally indicatedat 22 and extendingat an inclined angle .downward from the adjacent end 11 of'the'iirst section VVdown Athrough theboss v1'7 Vtoward the" longitudinal axis `throughthe hair curler which axis is indicated at Xp-:X Vin Fig. 4. "The slot generally indicated at"22isformed in section 11"with an enlarged recess 22"as Ashown in "Fig, l to receive an enlarged end such as a ball 14" ontheelastic cord 14. Thisend portion 14 of the elastic cord 14 Htends to'bias the section 11 toward the section 12 and -thecord 14' rides within a slightly enlarged portion at thebottom as indicated at 22" in Fig. l by the broken ilines. The other end of cord 14 is enlarged as at'the ball'l4a'and is received within a slot 23 cut into the .peripheral edge of the ring 15 and having an enlarged por- "tion`23 to receive the enlarged end 14a of cord '14 as :best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 5 it will be noted .that the'inneraperture 24 of the ring 15 is of greater diameter than the enlarged iinger grasp portion'13 ofthe :shaft 13 so thatV the ring 15 will freely slip over the hand grasp portion 13 of the shaft 13 as shown in-Fig's. 1, v2, 'and 4.

The. sections 11v and 12 each have a roughenedor ser- .rated surface25 at their mid-,points which helps to'. hold Vthe end of the tress of hair to be wound thereon.

It will be observed that pulling out of the`shaftf13 by fmeans of its finger grasp portion13' Inov'esftheshaft to Athe left as viewed in Fig. 3 and causes the cams.21 there- -onto move against the smaller cam portionss19 and 19 jinftheir respective sections 12 and 11so. as to movethose .'ise'ctionsfapart a slight distance transverse to the longitudi- Vnal axisvX-X of the hair curling rod. This movement isabout 1;/32 of an inch and when the hair curling rod is thus expanded it is in a position to receive the tress of hair which is wound thereon Yand is then secured by the elastic cordV 14. The ring end 15 of the elastic cord is `freely received over the end 13 of the shaft 13 and se- ,cured on the cylindrical boss 12'.formed on section 12. lFollowing this, the operator moves the shaft 13 tothe right in longitudinal movement as-shown in Fig. .4. sovthat the tension wound in the tress of hair is relieved atthe Acenterand .outward to theouter periphery asshown in jFigs. 13 and .14 in a generalmanner. In.:Fig. 13 the sections 11 and 12 are expanded by means of the shaft 13 and-the cams thereonas describedv heretofore. The tress of hair indicated at 26 is wound thereon with the `endY for example starting at the position a on the pejriphery of section 12 adjacent the serrated portion v25 thereon. vThe'winding proceeds counterclockwise as the hair curling rod is( manipulated by the operator in ythe 'fingers and wound up with the tress of hair thereon fol- `lowing which it is secured by .the elastic cord '14 so that the hair curler with the tress of hair 'wound 'thereon` is "adjacent the head as ndicatedat 27.Y InFig. 14when shaft 13 is pushedinand` the cams' 21 thereon move linto thelarg'er carnsurfaces'at 20 and 20 in thesections '4 12 and 11 respectively, the tension in the tress of hair `26 isrelieved andthe end of the tress lof hair'adjacent the rod as generally indicated at a in Fig. 13 has moved to a' as a general illustration. In Fig. 14 while a small space between the inside circumference of the tress ofhair and the outer circumference of the contracted sections 11 and 12 is shown, in actual operation the hair would tend to fill in this space which is indicated at 28. This would occur by the relieving of the tension within the tress of hair. By this means a uniform amount of tension is retained throughout the whole length of the tress of hair and a uniform curl is obtained.

Reference to Figs. 9 through l2 shows a modified form of securing the ends of the sections 31 and 32 together. 15 These sections 31 and 32 correspond to the sections 11 and 12 as shown in Figs. l through 8 and in 13 and 14. The left-hand end of the sections 31 and 32 is of the same construction as in the prior description for the hair curler generally indicated at 10. For thehair curlergene'rally `indicateat'30 in Figs. 9-12 the right-hand endhas'co- Aoperating lugs which'havesnap'fits as will `nowbe de- "scribed Section '32 is formed with the transversely extending 'end-lug 33 having aninner face 33' providedwith'an axial'lyextending inwardly disposed holding lug 33" projecting from rface 33. This lug 33 is spacedradially "outwardfrom'the" longitudinal axis indicated -at'X--FX in "Fig v10'so as to yprovide a recess to'receive a lug 31 `formed'on end 31 of section 31. Lug 31 projects `a 4 slight amount underneath the inner end of overlying lug `33'an'dtprevents the section 3l fromslipping away from 'section 32. The lugs 31l and 33" are'holdinglugs' and theplasticmaterial of which the curling rod 30 Vandfthe 'sections 31v and 32 thereof is made is of sutcient-resili- -ence Vthat it permits snap-fit of the holding lug 31' past =the holding lug 33 on section 32. The curling-redis `assembled in a similar manner as is the curlingrodas shown in Figs. 1 through 8 and then the section31 is .snapped into position. Incase it is necessary to remove 40 section 31, this can be done by use of'a sharp instrument such as a knife blade placed between the adjacent'end31 j-arid the lug' 33". The `spacing between the holdinglugs -31'`and 33" is sufficient to permit slight transverse `movevrnentwith respectl to the longitudinal axis X-X'lforex- 'pansionof'the'two sections. In this constructiomtress vsecuring cord 14fis secured in a longitudinally extending 'slot' 3`4formed in'the lug 33 of section 32 and is reached through an Voutwardly extending slot "34' sothatthe enlarged end 14 of the securing cord 14 may'be' received andsecured to the' lug 33.

It will be notedfthat'in rod 10 as well' as in the modified for'mof rod' 30, the tress securing cord 14 has its'end' tixf ture or 'ring 15 freely received over actuating shaft end V413"so thatV the ring 15 will rest on boss 12". In both lrods10 and 30, the actuating shaft 13 is easily manipulated'from its protruding end 13 to expand the sections. 'The tressof hair is wound thereon with its end a as -shown in Fig. 13 at a certain internal position on the rod. Thecord 14 is secured and the actuating shaft pushed *in so that the two sections come together as shown-in Fig. V14. Thislater action releases the tension in the wound tress 26 and end a now is at a in the 'general illustration. rThis relievesthe tension in the wound tress and results in a uniformly wound and evenly set curl.

I claim as my invention: l. A'hair curling rod comprising an elongated sub- `stantially cylindrical body formed with irst and second substantially semi-cylindrical sections with a tongue at one end of the rst section received in a recess atone `adjacent end of the second-section, the one end ofsaid second section Yhaving a boss extending axially therefrom having an axially extending aperture therethrou'ghin @alignment with the-recess in the second section, 1:said recesses ins-aid second section and boss being I'larger'.thari @saidtonguefand receiving said tongue for slight movement gassosiL transverse to the longitudinal axis of said curling rod, both of said sections having means at their other adjacent ends for holding those ends together also for slight movement transverse to the longitudinal axis of said curling rod, both of said sections having longitudinally disposed substantially semi-circular recesses facing each other in inner and cooperating adjacent surfaces thereof, the recess in said second section being in axial alignment with said aperture in the boss extending from an end thereof, a shaft having cam means thereon, said shaftextending between the sections to project out through and beyond said apertured boss and adapted to be actuated by said projecting end, cam surface means formed in said recesses in said sections and cooperating with the camv means on said shaft so that when said shaft is actuated the sections move uniformly transversely to the longitudinal axis of the rod and thereby expand the curling rod to receive a tress of hair wound thereon and permit the sections to move uniformly transversely toward each other to relax any tension in said wound tress of hair and an elastic cord attached at one end to said rod at the end opposite said projecting shaft for securing the tress of hair to said rod, the other end of said cord having a ring thereon adapted to be freely slipped over said projecting shaft end and received on said projecting boss.

2. A hair curling rod according to claim l wherein said cam surface means in said sections and the cam means on said shaft cooperate to move said sections uniformly transversely apart when said shaft is pulled outwardly from said hair curling rod and move together when said shaft is pushed in toward said rod.

3. A hair curling rod according to claim 2 wherein said cam surface means in each section are spaced apart cam surfaces and said cam means on the shaft comprises spaced apart cams for cooperation with said cam surfaces in said sections whereby even movement of said sections transversely apart and together throughout their length is assured.

4. A hair curling rod according to claim 2 wherein said cam surface means in each section are spaced apart cam surfaces and said cam means on the shaft comprises spaced apart cams for cooperation with said cam surfaces in said sections whereby even movement of said sections transversely apart and together is assured.

5. A hair curling rod according to claim l wherein said second section has at said other end thereof a lug extending transversely to one side of the longitudinal axis of said second section and said rst section has said other end thereof received adjacent said lug, said means for holding said adjacent ends together comprises an aligned slot formed in said sections and extending from said first section at an inclined angle to the longitudinal axis of said rod and out through said lug on the second section and an end of said elastic cord secured in said slot biasing the sections toward each other.

6. A hair curling rod according to claim l wherein said second section has at said other end thereof a lug extending transversely to one side of the longitudinal axis therethrough and said first section has said other end thereof received adjacent said lug, said means for holding said adjacent ends together for slight movement transverse to the longitudinal axis of said curling rod comprises cooperating holding lugs on the end of said first section and the adjacent lug of said second section, said holding lugs extending in overlapping opposite directions generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said rod and offset radially from the longitudinal axis of said rod to permit slight transverse movement of said first section with respect to the second section, said iirst section and its holding lug being adapted to be sprung into holding position with said holding lug on the second section.

7. A hair curling rod according to claim l wherein said second section has at said other end thereof a lug extending transversely to one side of the longitudinal axis therethrough and said first section has said other end thereof received adjacent said transversely extending lug on the second section having an axially extending recess therein adjacent said last mentioned end of the rst section, said means for holding said adjacent ends together for slight movement transverse to the longitudinal axis of said curling rod comprising a lug on said last mentioned end of said first section received in said axially extending recess in the lug on the second section and permitting slight transverse movement of said first section with respect to the second section, said first section and its holding lug being adapted to be sprung into holding position with the second section and the lug receiving recess therein.

8. A hair curling rod comprising an elongated substantially cylindrical body formed of first and second substantially semi-cylindrical sections, said second section having a lug at each end extending-generally transverse to the same side of the longitudinal axis of said section, each of said lugs having inner and outer faces, one end of said second section having a boss extending axially outward from that end and having an axially extending aperture therethrough, said lug at said one end of the second section having a recess therein opening to the inner face of said lug, said first section having a tongue extending from the other end thereof of smaller size than the recesses in said lug and received within said recess on the adjacent lug of the first section and being received by said recess for slight uniform movement transverse to the longitudinal axis of said rod, both of said sections having means at their other adjacent ends for holding those ends together also for slight movement uniform transverse to the longitudinal axis of said curling rod, both of said sections having longitudinally disposed substantially semi-circular recesses facing each other in inner and cooperating adjacent surfaces thereof, the recess in said second section being in axially alignment with said aperture in the boss, a shaft having cam means thereon, said shaft extending between the sections to project out through and beyond said apertured boss and adapted to be actuated by said projecting end, cam surface means formed in said recesses in said sections and cooperating with the cam means on said shaft so that when said shaft is actuated the sections move uniformly transversely to the longitudinal axis of the rod and thereby expand the curling rod to receive a tress of hair wound thereon and permit the sections to move uniformly transversely toward each other to relax any tension in said wound tress of hair and a cord attached at one end to said rod at the end opposite said projecting shaft for securing the tress Vof hair to said rod, the other end of said cord having a ring thereon adapted to be freely slipped over said projecting shaft end and received on said projecting boss.

9. A hair curling rod according to claim 8 wherein said cam surface means in said sections and the cam means on said shaft cooperate to move said sections uniformly transversely apart when said shaft is pulled outwardly from said hair curling rod and move together when said shaft is pushed in toward said rod.

l0. A hair curling rod according to claim 8 wherein said second section has at said other end thereof a lug extending transversely to one side of the longitudinal axis of said second section and said first section has said other end thereof received adjacent said lug, said means for holding said adjacent ends together for slight transverse movement comprises an aligned slot formed in said sections and extending from said iirst ection at an inclined angle to the longitudinal axis of said rod and out through said lug on the second section and an end of said elastic cord secured in said slot biasing the sections towards each other.

ll. A hair curling rod according to claim 8 wherein said second section has at said other end thereof a lug extending transversely to one side of the longitudinal axis therethrough and said first section has said other end thereof received adjacent said lug, said means for holding said adjacent ends together for*k slight movement transverse to the longitudinal axisnof saidcurling rod comprises cooperating holding lugs on the end of said rst section and the adjacent lug of` said second section, said holding lugs extendingin boverlapping opposite directions generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said rod and offset radially from the longitudinal axis of said rod to permit slight transverse` movement of said `first section with respect to the second section, said rst section and its holding lug being adaptedy to be sprung into holding position'. with said-` holding lug on the second section.

12. A hair curling rod comprising an elongated substantially cylindrical body formed With a first and a second substantially semi-cylindrical section ywith a tongue at one end of the rst section received in a recess at one adjacent end of the second section, the one end of said second section having meansto' have the end of a cord attached andV detached therefrom, said recess in said second Vsection being larger thanrsaid tongue receiving said tongue for slight movement transverse to thel longitudinal axis of said curling rod,t both ofsaid sections having means at their otherjadjacent endsfor holding those ends together also for slight movement *transverse to the longitudinal axis of said cur 1ing rod,s bothrof said sections having longitudinally disposed substantially semi-circularrecesses facing each othertin innerandcooperating adjacent faces thereof, a shafthavingicam meansthereon, said,

shaft extending between the sections to. project out through and beyond an end ofv said rod and adapted to be actuated by said projectingend, cam surface means formed in said recesses in said sections Vand*cooperating with the cam means on said shaft so that when said shaft is actuated the sections move uniformly transversely to the longitudinal axis of the rod and thereby expand the.`

curlingrodv to receive a tress of hair to be found thereon and permit the sections to move uniformly transversely toward each other to relax any tension in said wound tress of hair and a cord attached at one end to said rod atthe opposite end to the rod in a detachable manner to hold a tress of hair wound on the rod.

13. A hair curling rod according to claim 12 wherein saidtsecond section has at said other end thereof a lug extending transversely to one side of the longitudinal axis therethrough and said rst section has said other end thereof received adjacent said lug, said transversely extending lug on the second section having an axially extendingrecess therein adjacent said last mentioned end of the rst section, said means for holding said adjacent ends together for slight movement transverse 4to the longitudinal axis of said curling rod comprising a lug on said lastrmentioned end of said first section received in said axially extending recess in the lug on the second section and permitting slight transverse movement of said rstv section Withrespect to the second section, said first section and its holding lug being adapted to be sprung into holding position with the second section and the lug receiving recess therein.

References Cited in the ytile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,395,965 Grant Mar. 5, 1946 2,415,586 Grant Feb. 11, 1947 2,421,287 Reininger May 27, 1947 2,474,449 Whyte June 2s, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,003,318 France Nov. 14, 1951 

